The Ultimate Beauty Secret
Here is what the Spirit has been teaching me this week. And this one is for the MEN as well!
People hold different images of what beauty is and true beauty comes in many varieties. In my opinion, true beauty isn’t just about outward appearances. The outward appearance can be very deceiving about the true self. True beauty moves from inside to out. The inside and outside are connected. A huge mistake in this society’s wisdom is that it too often tries to separate the two and deal just with the outside (medications, diets, surgeries etc). If you want outward changes focus inward because when we attend to the inside then the outside will follow.
True love is the defining element of true beauty; love of God, others and yourself. Yes yourself, because you can’t truly know the love of God and not have a love for the creation He made and loves, you. I realize this can be a slippery slope – this love of self – because it can be be a negative false love in terms of narcissistic, self-absorbed and so on. But when the love of self comes from the love of God it is as it should be.
What is the ultimate beauty secret? Love. And how do we gain this true love of God? Stir the Deep, the one thing that changes everything else. I know I say this is the answer to everything, but I have found in my life that to be the case. When I read Matthew 6:33 – I decided to live it. And found it to be true. As we draw close to God in truth and abide in His Word as a bride (what I call stirring the deep), our spirits born of Him grow and strengthen in us. As a result we become more united to Him, and His love, truth and wisdom fill our beings – our thoughts, actions and lives. Many “issues” that we have, which resulted in broken down bodies and a lack of care for ourselves, are resolved as we draw near to Him in truth. It isn’t an instant process by any means. But it is the only path to true life.
When our spirits are NOT rightly connected to God– then this is what we see:
Destructive stress, bottled up resentment and bitterness, festering anger, jealousy, emotional pain, lack of self-worth, envy, unforgiveness, endless worry, and the list goes on. These things eat away at our lives destroying them. They wreck havoc in our spirits thus our bodies. All these affect us starting inward moving outward. For them we eat too much or not enough. We live with stress, lack of balance, harmful addictions and habits, and self-loathing. We don’t take care of ourselves. We treat ourselves worse than we treat our cars. We make poor decisions, which leads to more problems. What’s happening in our physical bodies is often a result of what’s happing inward. Our spiritual health affects our physical health and treatment of ourselves.
When our spirits are rightly connected to God and anchored in His love this is what we see:
As we learn the truth about us, God and others, the jealousy and envy flee and instead we enjoy uniqueness, freedom, and joy in which we flourish. We experience the love of God which gives us a love for God, others and ourselves, which affects how we attend to each one of these. As we understand our value as His cherished creation and child, we start to take care of ourselves and treat ourselves with respect, which spreads to others. From the wisdom gained, we make good decisions in all areas of our lives and the self-destructive behaviors and habits dissipate. As our relationship with God grows, our trust in Him expands and the stress and worry wane and balance, rest, peace, courage, and power increase. As we experience His mercy, forgiveness floods our hearts and resentment, anger and bitterness flee.
We start to live as the new creation that we are in Him – and that changes everything.
Our lives are governed by our spirit – our thoughts, words, actions, reactions. When our spirits are rightly connected to God, then we live as we were created and God created us very good. Everything is affected by our relationship with God. If you are wanting to make outward changes in your life – start inward with your relationship with Him – because then your efforts won’t be in vain. What we need is a daily diet of God’s Word.
Proverbs 4:22 For they (God’s Words) are life unto those that find them, and health to all their flesh.
Living Light 
February 10, 2010 at 8:57 am
Amen and Amen to these truths you have written! I am once again in my life “stirring the deep,” which almost feels like new uncharted territory for me. It’s not that I am a new Christian; my salvation experience took place in November, 1973. In the last seven years or so I’ve gotten off of that path with God in so many ways, so to say the least it almost feels a little frightening. I am reading a book that Ruth, from the “Cardinal’s Nest” is blogging about suggested, “Wrestling Prayer.” I feel as if I’m starting all over again. It’s people like yourself and Ruth, that God has connected me with, and is using in such a mighty way to call people (like me) to come up higher, go deeper with Him. Thank you Rachel, you are a gift from God to me. Janie
February 10, 2010 at 4:17 pm
Hi Janie – you know I had a similar path – I grew up in the church and lived sort of an outward Christian life – then strayed far off the path – then about 9 years I started “stirring the deep” for the first time. I started actively cultivating a relationship with God and abiding in His Word on a daily basis – there is no comparison to my life now verses before. I can tell you that you are on a very exciting journey – and that frightening feeling comes from the unknown, I felt that a bit too, but I can tell you it is the journey to true life on every level. 🙂
February 10, 2010 at 9:01 pm
there is a point that we all need self love. CHRIST said we are to love others as ourself. that positive, accepting, true loving of ourselves will give us the true basis to love others.
February 11, 2010 at 5:22 pm
Bill – thanks for your comment – I really appreciate it – and a great point.
February 11, 2010 at 2:53 am
hi rachel,
how are you ?
loved this post and while reading it the book of joshua 1 vs 8 came to mind. this book of the law/lord shall not depart from thy mouth, but thou shalt meditate on it day and night…….
i have found out that developing a relationship with the holy spirit through the study of Gods word, prayer, worship.. brings about a life of fulfilment.
take care then
February 11, 2010 at 5:23 pm
Hi Ayo. Thanks for your feedback – and I much agree!
February 11, 2010 at 2:53 am
Amen Sis,
I can remember when I would not even try to experience the deep, fear had me bound and I always though I would panic in the unknown charters of Depth. But praise God that he is our anchor, our life raft, and he knows how much we can handle. Without him in my life, I would be lost at sea, blinded by my sins , But Jesus is the lighthouse always waiting patiently shinning his light in the darkest pits of our life.
Love this ppost.
Hugz Lorie
February 11, 2010 at 5:24 pm
Lorie – what beautiful words come from you 🙂 I too experienced that fear for years – but it was all a lie – there is nothing to fear.
February 11, 2010 at 10:13 am
Hi Rachel,
I can understand someone having a low self worth, or feeling inferior, and how bad that is, but i can’t yet believe that self love is Biblical, apart from the natural way that each person takes care of themselves.
The reason for this is our identification with Christ in His death and resurrection, I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. It’s this identification which lifts up out of feeling worthless or inferior. We take care of ourselves bcos we love Him, and love others, not bcos we love ourselves.
The question to ask is, When Jesus was on the earth did He love Himself? Did the Apostles love themselves? I would say, no.
What do you think?
February 11, 2010 at 5:33 pm
Ian – enjoy hearing your point of view – in my opinion there is a clear difference between a self-love that is self-absorbed, out for self and so on, which isn’t really love at all – and having the love of God, the only true love there is, that consumes everything – including us. From my experience there is no love outside of God’s love and when His love fills you it covers everything. Jesus is love – how can you separate the two His life from that? God’s love is perfect and pure. That is love we are to seek – and when we do it has no limits or barriers.
February 12, 2010 at 5:00 pm
Good morning. It’s amazing how many complications are remedied by our obeying the two great commandments; loving God wholeheartedly and loving our neighbor as ourselves. I know that it’s a simple observation; but it seems that every complication that we find ourselves in can be traced back to a momentary compromise in at least one of these.
If we truly love God wholeheartedly and our neighbor as ourselves (regardless of that neighbors persona) it will manifest outwardly. This is not always easy, but what an incredible fellowship with the Lord we have when these areas are as they should be.
Awesome posting. Sorry for not being by more often. Things are consistantly hectic on this end. Blessings always in Jesus name.
timbob
February 12, 2010 at 5:13 pm
Hi timbob – so well said about the expanse of those commandments and what they do in our lives. I find when it gets hard it is usually because of my pride interferring. But I have also found as I’m growing in the love of God – that His love is starting to flow through me – and I find myself loving in ways that I never did before. What amazing love.
February 13, 2010 at 4:16 am
Excellent message Rachel.
I especially like how you point out that those disconnected from God are where one encounters harmful addictions–and why we see these abuses seemingly equal in the wealthy and the poor, in the powerful and in the powerless, in the young and in the old.
Find people who have a Creator void, and you’ll likely find those folks trying to fill it with something.
February 13, 2010 at 6:12 pm
Hi Slamdunk – great point. We were created to be united to God – apart from Him we will have an emptiness and it will be there until we are reconciled back to God. And that emptiness can drive us to so many harmful and bad decisions.
February 13, 2010 at 10:14 pm
I don’t quite comprehend the relationship btw love and beauty. But recognize the benefits of the love of God … In my experience it produces a sense of peace and fulfilment. Thanks and God bless you ….
February 14, 2010 at 6:53 pm
Fatibony – thanks for your comment – true beauty comes from within – and when the love of God is in us and flowing through us – what it creates is truly beautiful – inside and out.
March 27, 2010 at 3:56 am
“Our lives are governed by our spirit – our thoughts, words, actions, reactions. When our spirits are rightly connected to God, then we live as we were created and God created us very good. Everything is affected by our relationship with God. If you are wanting to make outward changes in your life – start inward with your relationship with Him – because then your efforts won’t be in vain. What we need is a daily diet of God’s Word. ”
The truth in this is so important. When I am struggling the most in my life it is as result of me not getting that daily diet. There is nothing more refreshing than the peace that comes from that daily bread! Thanks for your insight!
March 28, 2010 at 5:40 pm
Christy – thanks for your comment. Our daily bread is everything.